1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,160 S1: Principles are too scared of being attacked to leave their 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,880 S1: offices at school, drop off and pick up times, says 3 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,120 S1: the Herald Sun this morning. Andrew Dalgleish, president of the 4 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:11,040 S1: Victorian Principals Association. I used to be scared of them, Andrew. 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:13,880 S2: Well, that may have been the case. It's a pretty 6 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:15,520 S2: saddening statistic, isn't it? 7 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:16,759 S1: And so it's true. 8 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,560 S2: Oh, look, we're certainly seeing school leaders dealing with a 9 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,920 S2: level of violence and complexity that I'd say is unheralded, unheralded. 10 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,640 S2: It's it's increasing. You know, it's surging. And in some cases, 11 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,320 S2: leaders are being physically assaulted, threatened, or even followed home. 12 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:33,280 S3: So Andrew. 13 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:33,880 S1: Followed. 14 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,840 S3: Home. Andrew, as Ross said, we used to be scared 15 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,680 S3: of the principal. So is part of what's going on 16 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:40,599 S3: here is that they're not allowed to be scary. 17 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,600 S2: Well, look, ideally I'd like to think that they aren't scary. 18 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,720 S2: I mean, you know, working with young people is is 19 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:51,680 S2: a fantastic, fantastic job. But unfortunately, when we're seeing behaviours 20 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,720 S2: like this occurring in our community and in our schools, 21 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:56,240 S2: it it's just not on. 22 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,960 S1: The assumption used to be by parents that if a 23 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:03,720 S1: child was being disciplined, the child deserved it. Is there 24 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,080 S1: an attitude now? Um, not by everyone. Is there an 25 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,240 S1: attitude that my client. AM I sorry my child is 26 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,240 S1: a saint and cannot possibly do anything wrong? 27 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,800 S2: Ah, look, I don't know if that's necessarily the case. Um, 28 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,869 S2: you know, parents will certainly question more and fair and reasonable. 29 00:01:20,870 --> 00:01:23,230 S2: We want to support or they want to support their, 30 00:01:23,510 --> 00:01:27,430 S2: their children, but it's around if there are incidents or issues. 31 00:01:27,470 --> 00:01:30,830 S2: You know, it's not something that we will ignore. We 32 00:01:30,830 --> 00:01:33,110 S2: will want to speak with parents about it, raise with, 33 00:01:33,150 --> 00:01:35,949 S2: raise it with them, talk with them around about how we, 34 00:01:36,270 --> 00:01:40,470 S2: how we resolve those behaviors and or improve outcomes for them. 35 00:01:40,510 --> 00:01:43,949 S3: Andrew. The headline of course, talks about principles, principles being 36 00:01:43,950 --> 00:01:46,870 S3: scared of being attacked. We assume that that's by the kids, 37 00:01:46,870 --> 00:01:48,470 S3: but the parents involved. 38 00:01:49,430 --> 00:01:53,030 S2: Look, in this case, yes, we're talking parents are involved 39 00:01:53,030 --> 00:01:55,390 S2: and adults are involved as well. You know, that's that's 40 00:01:55,390 --> 00:01:59,030 S2: probably the bigger biggest concern there. You know, physical assaults, 41 00:01:59,030 --> 00:02:04,309 S2: threats and intimidation, aggression and harassment. Um what's concerning for 42 00:02:04,350 --> 00:02:05,150 S2: school leaders? 43 00:02:05,190 --> 00:02:06,750 S3: Is it possible to change this, Andrew. 44 00:02:07,870 --> 00:02:10,910 S2: Well, I think we may have spoken about this before 45 00:02:10,910 --> 00:02:13,109 S2: and we talk about this is what's happening in society. 46 00:02:13,110 --> 00:02:16,110 S2: And that's where it's it's a sad, sad issue. I 47 00:02:16,110 --> 00:02:19,310 S2: think it is I think very much in society in general. 48 00:02:19,310 --> 00:02:23,190 S2: We're talking about that respect word towards each other, that 49 00:02:23,190 --> 00:02:26,550 S2: being able to come together and focus ideally on in schools, 50 00:02:26,550 --> 00:02:29,510 S2: what's the best outcome for young people without that aggression 51 00:02:29,510 --> 00:02:30,149 S2: or anger? 52 00:02:31,150 --> 00:02:33,910 S1: Good on you, Andrew. Always nice to chat. Andrew Dalgleish, 53 00:02:33,910 --> 00:02:36,150 S1: president of the Victorian Principals Association.